Archive » September 4, 2008

FROM THE LEFT

This season’s presidential hopefuls, U.S. Sen. Barack
Obama, D-Ill., and U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., both have talked about
health care while stumping across America. I will try and point out the central
themes of both candidates on this issue so you can decide which one is better
for you and your family.

There are 47 million Americans who do not have any health
care, and in 2007, according to our government, 89 million Americans went
without health care for all or part of the year. The Congressional Budget
Office has said that by 2012, 150 million Americans will no longer be able to
afford the costs of health care.

Both candidates agree that rising health care costs must
be reined in, but how? The difference between Obama’s plan and McCain’s plan
are like night and day, so which plan is best?

Obama
wants to provide health care for every American citizen

Universal health care is a fact of life in every western
industrialized nation on earth but one: the United States of America.

Senator Obama’s health plan will not require you, your
family or anyone else to change the health plans that you have. In fact, if you
are happy with your plan, nothing will change for you or your family.

Obama will make available a new national health plan to
all Americans, including the self-employed and small businesses, to make it
possible to buy affordable health coverage that is similar to the plan
available to members of Congress.

Senator Obama’s plan will include:

Guaranteed
eligibility

No American will be turned away from any insurance plan
because of illness or pre-existing conditions.

Comprehensive
benefits

The benefit package will be similar to that offered
through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, the plan members of
Congress have. The plan will cover all essential medical services, including
preventive, maternity and mental health care.

Subsidies

Individuals and families who do not qualify for Medicaid
or State Children’s Health Insurance Program, but who still need financial
assistance, will receive an income-related federal subsidy to buy into the new
public plan or to purchase a private health care plan.

Easy
enrollment

The new public plan will be simple to enroll in and will
provide ready access to coverage.

Portability
and choice

Participants in the new public plan and the National
Health Insurance Exchange will be able to move from job to job without changing
or jeopardizing their health care coverage.

Support for small businesses

Barack
Obama will create a Small Business Health Tax Credit to provide small
businesses with a refundable tax credit of up to 50 percent on premiums paid by
small businesses on behalf of their employees. This new credit will provide a
strong incentive to small businesses to offer high quality health care to their
workers and to help improve the competitiveness of America’s small businesses.

McCain
wants the free market to control health care costs

McCain wants to keep the so-called free market in health
care as it is and offer up a health care tax break for every American citizen.
McCain says he will give a family of four up to a $5,000 tax credit, and allow
employees to shop for their own health care. McCain will remove employers’
costs of health care, which will increase profits for businesses.

But the average annual cost in 2008 to insure a family of
four is approximately $15,000, which McCain says he will give back as a $5,000
dollar tax credit. This is a $10,000-a-year out-of-pocket expense for a family
of four.

McCain says that a free market will create competition and
lower health care costs for everyone. But it is that very same free market that
runs health care today, and it is that same free market that has driven up the
costs of health care.

Senator McCain’s plan will include:

Cheaper
drugs

Lowering drug prices. John McCain will look to bring
greater competition to our drug markets through safe re-importation of drugs
and faster introduction of generic drugs.

Greater
access and convenience

Families place a high value on quickly getting simple
care. Government should promote greater access through walk-in clinics in
retail outlets.

Information
technology

Greater
use of information technology to reduce costs.
We should promote the rapid deployment of 21st century information systems and
technology that will allow doctors to practice across state lines.

Both candidates have their health plans listed on their
websites. I urge everyone to read what each has to say.